Annonuncing a Scheme to Nurture a New Generation of Authors and Illustrators of Children's Books

6 Sep 2018

The Welsh Books Council is delighted to announce that it will be holding a pioneering course for authors and illustrators of books for children aged between 3 and 7 years, in conjunction with Literature Wales, in an effort to fill the shelves of bookshops with original Welsh publications for children.

The course will be a unique opportunity for six new authors and six new illustrators in the field of writing for children to come together for a week at Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre, Llanystumdwy. This Welsh-medium course will be held during half term week in February 2019, and the application process is now open. Applications are welcomed from new authors and illustrators, from those who have some experience in the field, and from authors and illustrators who are experienced in other fields but who are seeking a new challenge.

Led by two tutors, the prize-winning author Manon Steffan Ros and the popular illustrator Jac Jones, the course will include the following: intensive workshops to develop the participants’ craft; a study of the field of children’s books, looking at world-wide literature for inspiration; and visits by guest authors. The week will come to an end on St David’s Day with an opportunity for the authors and illustrators to present their ideas before a panel of editors representing publishers in Wales.

Helen Jones, Head of the Welsh Books Council’s Children’s Books and Reading Promotion Department, said: "We are delighted to be able to collaborate with Literature Wales on this exciting project to nurture talent in writing and illustrating picture story books for children. Seeing an increase in original work in this important genre is something we warmly welcome."

Leusa Llewelyn, Head of Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre, said: "It will be a pleasure to work with the Books Council to provide a course that will help to fill a specific gap in Welsh-language publishing, especially in the company of the very best in the field of children’s literature. We are also glad to work in conjunction with the Books Council to respond to the call made by Dr Siwan Rosser in her Review of Books for Children and Young Adults that more should be done to develop a range of activities to stimulate ideas and to mentor authors of children’s books."

The closing date for applications is 5.00 pm on Wednesday 31 October. For an application form and directions on how to apply for a place on the course, or for further information, please go to Literature Wales’s website or email: tynewydd@llenyddiaethcymru.org

This course is arranged and funded by the Welsh Books Council and Literature Wales, with thanks also to the family of the late Olwen Dafydd for a generous contribution towards the course.